Dr. Jerry Kozai, Alta
Bates Summit CEO, pledges his support to an Oakland initiative to help move homeless
people from encampments into temporary shelters.

People that live and
work in Oakland know that the number of homeless encampments in the city has been
on the rise for several years. Between 2015 and 2017, the number of unsheltered residents
in Oakland has increased by 26 percent.

To help work on this crisis, Sutter
Health’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center has partnered with the City of Oakland to
support the city’s initiative to help move homeless people from encampments into temporary
shelters. Over the last 10 months, the city has opened three Tuff Shed Shelter Community
Cabin sites that provide shelter to Oakland’s long-term homeless population with social
services connecting clients to health services, public benefits and other resources.

“Alta
Bates Summit is committed to improving the health and wellness of our community and
we are honored to be part of this collaborative partnership with the City of Oakland
to help tackle the homeless crisis,” said Dr. Gerald Kozai, CEO, Alta Bates
Summit Medical Center. “Homelessness is a public health issue and these shelter
sites are providing a safe and healthier alternative than living on the streets.”

Sutter Health has financially
supported three separate Community Cabin sites in Oakland in the last year. Each location
was chosen in response to persistent public health and safety hazards at an existing
large encampment. This third site will specifically serve people who are homeless
near Lake Merritt.

Each outdoor shelter site houses 40 people at one time in
20 insulated cabins with windows. The sites include 24/7 security, basic sanitary
services, storage for personal items, food service and electricity in each cabin.
The first two shelter sites have served more than 125 people and have been an effective
and compassionate intervention focused on increasing people’s health, stability, dignity
and safety while service providers intensively work with people to help end their
unsheltered status.

The third community cabin
site will house up to 40 people near Lake Merritt.

The City of Oakland
would like to add five more sites and help up to 400 people move off the streets and
into supportive transitional or permanent housing within a year.